Review: Includes standard and deluxe releases
Packaging & Extras: (2/5)
There are two versions of this toy, a regular version and a ‘deluxe version’ that . The deluxe toy was only available as a gift-set with a ‘deluxe version’ mini metal SDF-1 (that I have reviewed separately). Either version only comes with a gun but does come in really nice Takatoku packaging featuring plenty of art and large windows showing the goods within and a Styrofoam tray to hold everything in place.
Charm & Collectability: (2/5)
As a positive, this toy does have a metal torso which gives it some nice heft for its size and makes it feel sufficiently “old school”. On the negative side, this toy has very little articulation/fun factor and can not transform in any capacity. It is uniquely non-scale (11CM tall or 1/115). You may notice these toys are similar in design to Takatoku’s collectors 1/144 VF-1 toys. I would think those toys are more desirable since, although they are smaller, they can pair with Takatoku’s line of 1/144 destroids for an interesting display whereas this 1/115 toy just stands alone.
Sculpt, Detail, & Paint: (4.5/10)
The deluxe version does benefit from its metallic paint scheme and stickers. The metallic paint eliminates the different shade of white which are quite pronounced on the regular version (though it was likely less pronounced when Takatoku first released the toys). The additional stickers on the arms of the deluxe version do a lot for what is a very bland stretch of plastic on the regular version. Takatoku wasted almost no energy on the back of the toy littering it with massive screw holes and cavities in the plastic parts though there is still some molded in detail. The paint on the feet is funny in how abruptly it ends with the transition of the front of the toy to the back of the toy (check out the feet in the profile pic). You can see from the line art comparison that Takatoku liked their battroid modes chunky and this toy is no exception.
Design: (2/10)
This toy can’t transform, has almost no articulation, and has no gimmicks to speak of. The handle of the gun is a square but the hole in the hand is a giant circle. It doesn’t really negatively impact anything but it is sort of funny looking. As I said when reviewing Takatoku’s metal mini SDF-1s, this toy does just enough to not be considered a statue and nothing more.
Durability & Build: (8/10)
There are two areas of potential concern for this toy. First, the Styrofoam tray may rub off paint on the torso section. You may want to throw a thin layer of plastic under your toy to prevent this from happening. Second, the toy has plastic guns that come off the head that may snap off. In normal handling the guns are robust enough but if someone were to try to force the head to turn (it doesn’t) or drop the toy, it’s easy to imagine a gun breaking off.
HD VIDEO REVIEW COMING SOON!
Articulation: (2/10)
The arms rotate at the shoulder and the legs rotate at the hip. The head is pegged in and has a tiny bit of wiggle to it but not enough to rotate it more than a tiny bit off center. The gun can be twisted in the toys hand to aim it off center… though I think that’s more of a bug than a feature.
Total Score: (20.5/50)
I don’t do these reviews of classic toys to ruin anyone’s memories of their childhood toys. My hope is that reviews like this will keep you well-informed and help you determine what you would be willing to pay if you come across these toys in a secondhand shop. I do get some enjoyment from having the old Takatoku toys to handle alongside my modern masterpieces and so I would never discourage anyone from hunting them down, even if they are incredibly basic like this toy was.